China courier puts sick daughter in delivery box at work to save on childcare

A Chinese mother who delivered food with her 4-year-old sick daughter inside a meal-carrying box so that she could look after her has received sympathy online.

The woman, surnamed Zhu, and her child were caught on camera by an online influencer in eastern China’s Anhui province.

The 25-year-old delivered food on an electric bicycle in the summer heat while carrying her daughter in the box attached to the vehicle.

The girl has a vein-detained needle on one hand and a chemo port on her chest.

Her mother, surnamed Zhu, said the girl, Nuoxi, was diagnosed with a tumour two years ago.

Her father, surnamed Guan, is also a delivery rider, but he works full time and cannot not look after her.

Zhu said she wanted to make money to pay for her daughter’s treatment.

She sometimes left Nuoxi in the box while delivering orders.

On occasion, she had to climb the stairs of a building with one hand carrying the food and the other holding her daughter.

Zhu said she was afraid of customer complaints if she was running out of time, but every time Nuoxi offered to press the lift button for her, she felt it was worth it.

Her child had endured three operations, nine chemotherapies and 12 radiotherapies, but she remained strong and optimistic.

As the influencer’s video went viral, many people flocked to the mother’s social media account to donate money.

The local government also reacted immediately to help the family apply for an allowance. Zhu said they also received financial aid from the food delivery company Meituan.

Some people worried about the child’s safety and health, asking if it was suitable for her to be outside in very hot conditions.

Guan said he planned to work harder and let Zhu stay at home to look after their child full time.

One person also called for the government to help those in need and not wait until they post videos online.

Food delivery work is considered well-paid and is popular among migrant workers.

China has 545 million food delivery service users, and an average of 3.3 billion yuan (US$460 million) is spent every day on such deliveries, according to data from the China Internet Network Information Center and the China Hospitality Association.

Some food delivery workers said they work between 14 and 15 hours a day.

Meituan launched an anti-fatigue mechanism on its app, forcing riders to rest after they work 12 hours consecutively.

However, some riders have complained that the mechanism affected their income and said they would switch to another platform when Meituan forces them to stop working. - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST